Advancing the SDGs at ICC 2025
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a global blueprint for a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future—and ICC 2025 is proud to align with this vision. As a gathering of the world’s leading cartographers, geospatial thinkers, and educators, we recognise the power of maps to inform, inspire, and drive change. That’s why we’re embedding sustainability and inclusion into every layer of the conference—from accessible venues and diverse programming to low-waste practices and support for underrepresented communities
ICC 2025 is committed to advancing gender equality in the global cartographic community. While we acknowledge that our keynote program does not yet reflect full gender parity, we’ve taken intentional steps to foster inclusion across the conference. From using inclusive language and visuals to encouraging equitable participation in sessions and transparently tracking representation, we are doing our best within our means to create a more balanced and welcoming environment for all.
Equitable Q&A Practices: Our session chairs are briefed on inclusive facilitation to ensure all voices are heard.
Gender Sensitivity Training: Offer training sessions for event staff and volunteers on gender sensitivity and inclusivity.
Inclusive Temperature Settings: We’ll adjust indoor climate settings to support thermal comfort for all attendees, based on inclusive design research
Pronoun Visibility: We respect and affirm gender identity—attendees can choose to display their pronouns on badges
Session Timing Awareness: We’ve designed the program with caregiving and work-life balance in mind.
Women in Cartography: Throughout the conference, we’re spotlighting the voices of professional women shaping the future of cartography.
Sandra Aqqaq
Coordonnateur·trice de la co-production des savoirs pour Taloyoak (NU)
Biography
Dans son rôle chez SmartICE, Sandra Aqqaq est coordonnatrice de la coproduction des connaissances pour Taloyoak, NU. Dans le cadre du projet Sikumik Qaujimajjuti, elle anime des ateliers sur la terminologie de la glace, où les Aînés, les jeunes, les chasseurs et d'autres utilisateurs de la glace collaborent et partagent leurs connaissances traditionnelles inuites sur la glace (Inuit Qaujimajatqangit – IQ). Elle co-conçoit des outils de communication et des cartes de sécurité pour les déplacements sur la glace afin de mobiliser ces savoirs pour sa communauté. Elle aime aller sur le territoire et se soucie profondément de l’environnement.
Opening Ceremony Talk on Monday, 18 August
Lynn Moorman
Professeur·e, Université Mount Royal
Biography
Dr. Lynn Moorman is a Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Mount Royal University in Calgary, specializing in spatial data science, physical geography, and geovisualization technologies. She co-founded a sea ice safety mapping program with SmartICE, supporting Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. Lynn is active in national and international geography education initiatives and has received multiple honors, including the RCGS Camsell Medal and the Canadian Association of Geographers Teaching Excellence Award.
Opening Ceremony Talk on Monday, 18 August
Amy Rose
Directrice Technique, Fondation Overture Maps
Biography
Amy Rose is the Chief Technology Officer at the Overture Maps Foundation where she is responsible for guiding Overture’s technical roadmap, infrastructure design, and data interoperability strategy. Her previous work in the geospatial domain spans nearly 30 years, designing, building, and deploying geospatial data and technology solutions for human health and security, environmental remediation, logistics, and transportation planning projects. Amy has worked for multiple organizations across the academic, private sector, and government ecosystems, most recently at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where she worked with interdisciplinary teams to model and map both the built environment and highly resolved estimates of human population at global scale. Amy received her PhD in Geography from The University of Tennessee, and an MS in Geography with a graduate minor in Logistics and Transportation.
Keynote Session on Thursday, 21 August
Sonia Talwar
Directrice Générale, Commission Géologique du Canada
Biography
À déterminer
Keynote Session on Friday, August 22
ICC 2025 continues to advance sustainable and responsible practices throughout the conference experience. Building on our commitment to environmental stewardship, we have introduced several targeted initiatives aimed at minimizing our ecological footprint and promoting conscious resource use. Each step, whether focused on waste reduction, smarter consumption, or greener logistics, reflects our ongoing dedication to creating a conference that not only addresses today’s sustainability challenges but also inspires positive change for the future.
Reduce Waste: We’ve coordinated with exhibitors to minimize onsite waste, ensured recycling bins are available throughout the VCC, and partnered with social event venues committed to reducing their environmental footprint.
E-Tickets for Taste of Canada: We’ve introduced e-tickets for the Taste of Canada to reduce paper waste and streamline attendee experience.
Foregoing the Conference Program: By offering all schedules and session details digitally, we are significantly reducing paper consumption and supporting our commitment to sustainability.
Reducing Food Waste: By not providing large-scale meals, we help minimize food waste and allow attendees to choose meals that suit their needs, supporting our sustainability goals.
E-Voting Ballots: To enhance the attendee experience and promote sustainability, we’ve implemented electronic voting for the International Map and Children’s Map Exhibition. This initiative helps minimise paper waste while improving efficiency, transparency, and the integrity of the voting process.
ICC 2025 is committed to supporting climate action through sustainable transportation and conscious event planning. In alignment with SDG 13, we’ve taken steps to reduce the carbon footprint of the conference by encouraging the use of public transit, walking routes, and shared transportation options for attendees. Additionally, we are actively tracking the environmental impact of the event and exploring ways to offset emissions where possible. While we recognize that sustainability is an ongoing journey, we are doing our best within our means to make ICC 2025 a more climate-responsible gathering.
Sustainable Transportation: We encourage attendees to use public transit, walking routes, and shared transportation options to help reduce the conference’s carbon footprint. Check out more information on this document.
Carbon Footprint of the Event: We are actively measuring the event’s carbon footprint to better understand our environmental impact and inform future sustainability efforts.
ICC 2025 is committed to fostering meaningful partnerships that support sustainable development across all aspects of the conference. In alignment with SDG 17, we’ve collaborated closely with our hotel, venue, and vendor partners to implement environmentally responsible practices from waste reduction to energy-efficient operations. We’re also engaging our community through a post-event sustainability survey to gather feedback and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, our Sustainability Ambassadors will be present throughout the event to promote awareness and encourage responsible choices among attendees. These collective efforts reflect our belief that progress is best achieved through collaboration and shared responsibility.
Hotel, Venue, and Vendors Collaborations to Implement Sustainable Practices: We’ve actively engaged our hotel, venue, and vendor partners to coordinate and implement sustainable practices throughout the conference experience.
Post-Event Survey: We’ve created a post-event survey to gather attendee input and ensure inclusivity, and continuous improvement for future conferences.
Sustainability Ambassadors: We’ve appointed Sustainability Ambassadors to help ensure our environmental initiatives run smoothly and to support attendees in making responsible choices throughout the conference.